Safety throttle control

ABSTRACT

A safety throttle control for an internal combustion engine utilizes a liquid pressure expansible link in the fuel control pedal coupling to the engine, and flow couples the lubrication system of the engine to the liquid pressure expansible link, whereby the fuel control pedal becomes functional only when lubrication pressure exists.

United States Patent 1 1 3,581,727

[72] Inventor Theodore 0. Chase (56] References Cited 2340 Shannon Ave.,San Pablo, Calif. UNITED STATES PATENTS 94806 [2]] App]. No 843,982 r3,159,036 12/1964 Miller et a1. 123/198X [22] Filed July 23, 1969Primary'ExaminerWendell E. Burns [45] Patented June 1, 1971Attorney-Edward Brosler [54] SAFETY THROTTLE CONTROL 4 Clams 2 Dr'wmgABSTRACT: A safety throttle control for an internal com- [52] U.S. Cl123/ 198, bustion engine utilizes a liquid pressure expansible link inthe 1123/96 fuel control pedal coupling to the engine, and flow couplesthe [51 Int. Cl F02b 77/00 lubrication system of the engine to theliquid pressure expansi- [50] Field of Search 123/ 198 ble link, wherebythe fuel control pedal becomes functional D2, 198 D3, 96 only whenlubrication pressure exists.

INVENTOR. THEODORE 0. CHASE ATTORNEY PATENTED JUN 1 I97! SAFETY THROTTLECONTROL My invention relates to engines such as internal combustionengines, and more particularly to a safety throttle control for such anengine.

Engines such as internal combustion engines have built-in lubricationsystems, wherein lubrication is accomplished under pump pressure duringoperation of the engine. Should such lubrication fail, from whatevercause, such as failure of the oil pump, or development of leakage in thesystem, it is no longer safe to operate such engine, especially underload, for the failure of lubrication will result in burning out ofbearings and other damage to the engine, necessitating costly repairswith resulting costly downtime.

This problem has long been recognized, and attempts at a solutionthereof have been in the direction of signaling the operator uponfailure of lubrication. However, should the operator fail to notice thedanger signal, or neglects to heed it, the signal has not accomplishedits ultimate purpose, and the engine will fail, the same as if no signalsystem were provided.

Among the objects of my invention are;

1. To provide a novel and improved safety throttle control for aninternal combustion engine;

2. To provide a novel and improved safety throttle control for aninternal combustion engine, which can function only in the presence oflubrication pressure; and

3. To provide a novel and improved safety throttle control for aninternal combustion engine, which control can become functional only inthe presence of lubrication pressure in the engine.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is an outline view of aninternal combustion engine, and depicting the application of the presentinvention thereto; and

FIG. 2 is a view in section, taken in the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferredform, the invention is shown installed in an engine 1 of the internalcombustion type having a fuel pump 3 with a control lever 5 mountedexternally thereof, the movement of which will control fuel delivery tothe engine. Normally, this lever is controlled by the driver through aconveniently located foot pedal 7 which is connected to thefuel-controlled lever by a connection which is wholly mechanical.

In accordance with the present invention, I introduce into theconnection between the foot pedal and the fuel pump lever, an hydrauliclink 9 supplied by oil from the lubrication system of the engine, andunder the prevailing pressure of the oil in such system.

The hydraulic link in the preferred form of my invention, may take theform of a cylinder 13 having a cap 15 at one end, while at its otherend,it is closed by a fitting 17 having a threaded opening 19 for couplingthereto, of a suitable flow connection 21 from any convenient location20in the lubrication system of the engine.

Within the cylinder is a piston 21 slidably sealed therein by an O-ring23 installed in a groove 25 about the piston.

The piston is provided with a piston rod 27 slidably passing through thecap 15 and terminating externally of the cylinder,

in a threaded end 29. lnstalled within the cylinder, between the pistonand the cap is a biasing compression spring 31 normally urging thepiston toward the fitting end of the cylinder.

Such hydraulic link is installed in the connection between the footpedal 7 and the fuel pump lever 5 by providing the fitting 17 with asuitable threaded end recess 33 for connection thereto of an eye bolt35, which enables coupling of this end of the hydraulic link to the fuelpump lever 5 by way of a small intermediate link 37, hingedly couplingthe eyebolt to the end of the lever. The threaded end of the piston rod,in turn, may be threadedly secured to an end of a rod 39 extending tothe foot pedal 7 to which it is hingedly secured.

The oil line connection 21 places the hydraulic link 9 in flowcommunication with v the lubrication system of the engine, and thus, oilfrom the lubrication system has free access to the cylinder of thehydraulic link.

In the absence of pressure in the lubrication system, as may occur whenthe engine is not running, the piston 21 will be urged by the biasingspring 31 toward the fitting end of the cylinder, to the extentpermitted by the foot pedal when such pedal is at its lowest permissibleposition.

Upon starting the engine, the resulting buildup of pressure in thelubrication system, will bring about an inflow of oil into the cylinderunder pressure, which will drive the piston back against the prevailingspring pressure and urge the foot pedal to its uppermost position, whichit will occupy during idling of the engine.

The presence in the hydraulic link, of oil under pressure, imparts tothe hydraulic link, the. characteristics of a solid or mechanical link,and so long as such pressure exists, the application of foot pressure tothe foot pedal, to manipulate or control fuel to the engine, will havethe same effect as if a solid mechanical link existed at this point, andthe operator will not be cognizant of any difference, so long as thehydraulic pressure existed in the hydraulic link.

However, should the oil pressure in the lubrication system of theengine, for some reason or other, fail, the hydraulic link will lose itspressure and will collapse and become nonfunctional, thus permittingmovement of the piston under the action of the biasing spring, with aresulting collapse of the foot pedal to its lowest permissible position.lt thereafter becomes impossible to exercise continued control over thefuel supply to the engine, and with such loss of control, the engine cando nothing but idle, and the truck in which the engine is installed, canno longer be driven until the failure in the lubrication system has beencured.

While the invention in its preferred form, has been illustrated anddescribed in conjunction with an engine of the internal combustion type,it is just as applicable to any type engine having a lubrication system.

From the foregoing description of my invention in its preferred form itwill be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects of my invention,and while I have illustrated and described the same in considerabledetail and in its preferred form, the same is subject to alteration andmodification without departing from the underlying principles involvedand l accordingly do not desire to be limited in my protection to thesespecific details illustrated and described except as may be necessitatedby the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A safety throttle control for an engine having a pressure lubricationsystem and means for supplying fuel to said engine,

said safety throttle control comprising a fuel control pedal, ahydraulic link comprising a cylinder component and a piston componentslidably installed in said cylinder component, means foroperativelyconnecting one of said hydraulic link components to saidpedal, means for operatively connecting the other of said hydraulic linkcomponents to said fuel-supplying means, and means for flow couplingsaid pressure lubrication system to said cylinder component to permitdirect manipulation of said fuel supplying means from said pedal throughsaid hydraulic link while said cylinder is receiving oil under pressurefrom said lubrication system.

2. A safety throttle control in accordance with claim 1, characterizedby said means for operatively connecting one of said hydraulic linkcomponents to said pedal comprising a rod connected to said pistoncomponent.

3. A safety throttle control in accordance with claim 2, characterizedby said means for operatively connecting the other of said hydrauliclink components to said fuel supplying means, comprising said cylindercomponent including a fitting at one end having a flow passagewaytherethrough into said cylinder component, and said means for flowcoupling said lubrication system to said cylinder component, including aflow line connected to said fitting at one end of said passageway.

cylinder component and adapted to be compressed upon admission of oilunder pressure into said cylinder component

1. A safety throttle control for an engine having a pressure lubricationsystem and means for supplying fuel to said engine, said safety throttlecontrol comprising a fuel control pedal, a hydraulic link comprising acylinder component and a piston component slidably installed in saidcylinder component, means for operatively connecting one of saidhydraulic link components to said pedal, means for operativelyconnecting the other of said hydraulic link components to saidfuel-supplying means, and means for flow coupling said pressurelubrication system to said cyliNder component to permit directmanipulation of said fuel supplying means from said pedal through saidhydraulic link while said cylinder is receiving oil under pressure fromsaid lubrication system.
 2. A safety throttle control in accordance withclaim 1, characterized by said means for operatively connecting one ofsaid hydraulic link components to said pedal comprising a rod connectedto said piston component.
 3. A safety throttle control in accordancewith claim 2, characterized by said means for operatively connecting theother of said hydraulic link components to said fuel supplying means,comprising said cylinder component including a fitting at one end havinga flow passageway therethrough into said cylinder component, and saidmeans for flow coupling said lubrication system to said cylindercomponent, including a flow line connected to said fitting at one end ofsaid passageway.
 4. A safety throttle in accordance with claim 2,characterized by a compression spring in said cylinder component betweensaid piston component and the proximate end of said cylinder componentand adapted to be compressed upon admission of oil under pressure intosaid cylinder component.